Saddle up and ride. With quarterbacks flinging the ball all over the place (12 teams are averaging at least 280 passing yards per game), you’d forget that handoffs are still legal. Twelve tailbacks are averaging 75 rushing yards through two weeks. Only fifteen running backs are averaging at least 60 rushing yards.
Week 3 brings another slate of difficult matchups and a mountain of injuries. We await word on Felix Jones’ shoulder and have Todd Haley on the hot seat with Dexter McCluster and Thomas Jones at the ready.
… And then, we’ve got Mike Shanahan. Is Roy Helu on the rise in Washington?
(Exclude: Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice, LeSean McCoy, Michael Turner, Rashard Mendenhall, Matt Forte, Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew)
Heroes
Jahvid Best, DET at Minnesota: Best is dangerously close to joining the “Exclusion” list. Another big performance here, and I suspect that he has one, will put his name on the marquee. The Vikings do get Kevin Williams back on the D-Line, so I’m not anticipating a huge game on the ground. I do, however, expect Best to be active on the edges in the passing game. Opposing running backs have combined for 17 receptions, 152 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Beanie Wells, ARI at Seattle: Wells has rushed for at least 90 yards and a touchdown in back-to-back weeks. He’s at it again here against the Seahawks.
Seattle allowed 59 yards to Frank Gore in Week 1, though there wasn’t much of a passing threat. The Steelers seemed content to run out the clock in Week 2. This is a potential trap game for Whisenhunt’s squad, and the Pete Carroll motivational tactics may work early. I still believe that Kolb’s ability to stretch the field puts Wells among the leaders for the third consecutive week.
Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG at Philadelphia: Bradshaw has yet to find his stride this season, producing a tepid 3.7 yards per carry through two games. He did, however, contribute five receptions for 45 yards in the nearly unwatchable Monday night win over St. Louis.
Bradshaw figures to take on a huge workload in Week 3 against the run-deficient Eagles squad, particularly with the New York receiving corps so injury-riddled (Nicks is hurt. Manningham is concussed. Domenik Hixon is out with another ACL tear.)
Ryan Mathews, SD vs. Kansas City: The San Diego ground game figures to get a workout in this home tilt against an injury-ravaged Kansas City squad. Mathews has run more aggressively than did as a rookie and is playing a much larger role in Norv Turner’s offense. He’s already amassed 34 touches for 244 yards and a touchdown. More importantly, we saw Mathews on the field in red zone situations during Week 2. He’ll contribute another touchdown in the home thrashing of the Chiefs.
Peyton Hillis, CLE vs. Miami: Power. Run the power game Hillis rumbled for 94 yards on 27 carries in Week 2 and scored to lead the Browns to a road win over Indianapolis.
The Dolphins were run on effectively by the combination of BJGE and Danny Woodhead in Week 1 before getting bulldozed by Ben Tate in place of the injured Ben Tate.
Fred Jackson, BUF vs. New England: “Pay that man his money.” Anytime I can reference “Rounders,” I’m going to work it into the mix. Actually, given the early returns by those running backs looking for contracts (Jackson and Forte) when compared to the struggles of the recently rich (Johnson and Williams), I’d say that Buffalo brass should forget to endorse the check.
Jackson isn’t going to put up huge numbers on the ground in this one. Say what you will about Albert Haynesworth, but the man eats space. Vince Wilfork is a monster, and he demonstrated good hands on his interception return (say nothing of his speed). I expect Jackson to take on a larger role in the passing game to help make up for Stevie Johnson’s injury (groin) and find room in the Bills’ spread attack. Remember, Jackson amassed 77 receptions in the past two seasons.
Mike Tolbert, SD vs. Kansas City: Tolbert has a calf issue and his status for Sunday’s game is in question. If available, he’s a prime start alongside Mathews. If he sits, then Jacob Hester becomes a possible last-minute “Ninja.”
Ben Tate, HOU at New Orleans: Tate stands among the elite through two weeks of play. Few teams have committed to the run so as to allow a runner to eclipse the 100-yard mark. Tate goes for the hat trick (Foster’s health as a question, of course) against the Saints. Overloading to slow down Schaub may present gaping running lanes for Tate. Of course, I can only theorize about this, as the Bears failed to run the ball (or attempt to, for that matter).
LeGarrette Blount, TB vs. Atlanta: Blount owners will have their hearts in their throats early in the contest while cheering on the Tampa Bay defense. An early deficit against Minnesota tested their collective patience before the Buccaneers awakened and Blount went to work (71 yards and two touchdowns).
The Falcons rank in the middle of the pack against the run, allowing 110.5 yards and a touchdown per game on 3.9 yards per carry. Blount ran over the Falcons for 103 yards and a touchdown in his first home game against them in Week 13 last season. Commit to the run early and try to avoid the fourth-quarterback comeback nonsense.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, NE at Buffalo: Green-Ellis is flying under the radar because of the accolades being tossed to Tom Brady’s performance and Bill Belichick’s documentary thing. “The Law Firm” has scored in back-to-back weeks and will be part of another scoring barrage in Buffalo. His yardage total is subject to fluctuation based on how well Buffalo comes out of the gate, but he’s finding the end zone.
Ninja Alerts
Mark Ingram, NO vs. Houston: Ingram has yet to punch his ticket during his rookie season, but Sean Payton has committed to giving him a sizable chunk of the workload. Through two weeks, Ingram has amassed 91 yards on 27 carries (he lost a fumble), but has been a staple in goal-line sets.
The Houston defense performed well against Miami and Indianapolis through two weeks. Let’s watch Wade Phillips’ unit respond to a huge step up in class against the Brees-led Saints on the road.
Danny Woodhead, NE at Buffalo: Woodhead was quiet in Sunday’s win over San Diego (six touches for 27 total yards) following a strong 15-touch effort against the Dolphins in Week 1. He’s a moderately intriguing proposition in what promises to be the Patriots’ third consecutive high-scoring affair. The loss of Aaron Hernandez from the receiving corps may afford him more looks in the passing game (he caught 34 passes last year).
Daniel Thomas, MIA at Cleveland: Thomas emerged from the shadows to produce a fantastic 107-yard effort in Week 2 against the Texans. He did lose a fumble, but Miami fans saw the future. The rookie from Kansas State is hoping for a bigger role going forward. Cleveland eventually caved under the weight of a heavy workload from Cedric Benson in Week 1, and Indianapolis still ran for 110 yards between Joseph Addai and Delone Carter.
Flop Alerts
Shonn Greene, NYJ at Oakland: Greene has averaged a miserable 2.9 yards per carry through two weeks, although he did find the end zone against the Jaguars. I’m going against the grain a bit this week.
The Bills ran well in Week 2 against the Raiders, as Fred Jackson rumbled toward another big day. I’m looking back to Week 1 when the Oakland front erased Knowshon Moreno and Willis McGahee from the stat sheet (both were forced into the passing game in that one). Look for more of LaDainian Tomlinson in this one.
DeAngelo Williams, CAR vs. Jacksonville: There hasn’t been much to like about the Jaguars through two weeks, but the run defense has played fantastic football against the Titans (Chris Johnson did nothing) and the Jets. Jacksonville has allowed 72 yards per game (3.2 yards per carry) and one rushing touchdown thus far.
I expect to see more of the Cam Newton aerial show against the Jacksonville secondary. There’s more value for Jonathan Stewart here.
Tim Hightower, WAS at Dallas: I don’t like the matchup against the Dallas front. As porous as the Dallas secondary has been at times, the defensive line has played very well. Opposing runners have averaged three yards per carry and a dismal 59.5 yards per game with one touchdown.
The larger issue at work for me here is that Mike Shanahan is already starting to muddy the waters with regard to Hightower’s touch count. Rookie Roy Helu carried the ball 10 times for 74 yards with three receptions for 38 yards against the Cardinals. I’ll watch the split this week.
Cedric Benson, CIN vs. San Francisco: Benson has reportedly been tagged with a three-game suspension and has an appeal pending. He’s expected to be available this week, but we can anticipate seeing a bunch of Bernard Scott.
I don’t know that the 49ers’ first two opponents are the true barometer of how good they are in defending the ground game (SEA and DAL), but it’s hard to dismiss them. Marshawn Lynch was a non-starter in Week 1 (13 carries for 33 yards) and the Cowboys’ myriad options failed to surmount much of an attack last week (51 yards on 20 carries between three players).
The Cincinnati running attack sputtered in Week 2 against the Broncos. Benson was limited to 59 yards on 16 carries after running away from the Browns in Week 1 (121 yards on 25 carries). I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge that Benson averaged a dismal 3.4 yards per carry against the Browns on his first 24 carries (he sprinted 39 yards for a touchdown on his final carry).
